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Labour enjoy poll bounce as Budget fails to impress voters

Only 25 per cent of those surveyed called George Osborne’s decision to reduce pensioners’ tax-free allowance "fair"Lewis Whyld/PA

Voters were unimpressed with headline measures in the Budget according to a Populus poll for The Times, which saw a three percentage point drop for the Tories since February.

Labour now have a four point lead, after the Tories went down to 34 points, one percentage point above their lowest in this Parliament. Ed Miliband’s party are down one on 38, the Liberal Democrats are unchanged on 11 while other parties are on 16, up three.

The poll was taken over the weekend, with just under a third of respondents contacted after the Tory funding row broke.

Despite criticism of individual Budget measures, including the reduction of the 50p top rate of tax, the poll suggested last Wednesday’s statement reinforced existing views of the Conservatives…